The Socioeconomic Burden of Migraine in Latin America: A Hidden Brake on Economic Growth?

OBJECTIVES: Migraine is a leading cause of disability worldwide, especially among working-age individuals and women. It deteriorates people’s productivity, translating into a decrease in labor supply and economic growth. In Latin America, migraines are more prevalent than elsewhere, yet their impact is underestimated and excluded from economic development discussions. This study aims to measure the monetary value of the socioeconomic (SoC) burden (i.e., understanding it as how a disease reduces individuals' labor force contributions) of migraines in eight Latin American countries.

METHODS: We used a novel method combining Input-Output analysis and health economics. Healthier populations create direct benefits, spillover effects in adjacent sectors, and induce effects along value chains. We assumed that years lost due to disability (YLDs) are non-productive and addressed the economic losses in paid and unpaid work. We compared the SoC burden of migraines to other diseases (i.e., cardiovascular, neoplasms, ischemic heart disease, lower respiratory infections, breast cancer, and type 2 diabetes), using YLDs and Years of Life Lost (YLLs) for mortality.

RESULTS: Migraine, alongside type 2 diabetes, had the highest SoC burden. From 2011 to 2022, the SoC burden of migraines represented around 1.2% of GDP annually in Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, peaking at 1.6% in Brazil and 1.8% in Argentina. Peru had the lowest burden at 0.88% of GDP. During the period 2018 to 2022, economic losses from migraines ranged from $4 billion (Costa Rica) to $148.5 billion (Brazil). Migraine related losses generate significant spillover effects (e.g., 0.82% GDP loss from spillover effects in Brazil).

CONCLUSIONS: Migraine significantly reduces labor supply in Latin America, yet it is often overlooked in national and healthcare resource allocation discussions. Raising awareness of its impact on productivity is crucial for understanding the economic value of investing in improving migraine health outcomes, which will benefit economic development.